Woman charged with leaving two dogs in the house since May

ST. THOMAS TOWNSHIP -- A Chambersburg area woman is accused of leaving two dogs in a St. Thomas Township house she reportedly moved out of early this year.

Four animal cruelty citations were filed against 23-year-old Lacrisha Michelle Morgan on Monday: Two for abandonment, one for veterinarian care and another for sanitation.

The dogs -- a St. Bernard mix and Labrador-German Shepherd mix -- were not let out of the 4006 Warm Spring Road house between May 1 and Sept. 26, according to Humane Police Officer Floyd "Buck" Hessler of Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter.

Hessler said Tuesday afternoon that he believes Morgan moved out of the house in January or sometime early this year. He believes the property may have been owned by the woman's father.

"She was supposedly there to feed them but the neighbors were feeding them as well," Hessler said.

Hessler said the house smelled so badly of ammonia and feces that a state trooper commented: "I've smelled dead bodies, but this is bad."

"There were 4 or 5 inches deep of dog feces all over the house," Hessler said. "It was even on the mattress, the couch, the floors -- it was everywhere."
The Labrador-German Shepherd mix was full of fleas and hair was missing from its lower back and hips, Hessler said.

The Warm Spring Road house is "not livable at all," he said, but was once a nice home.

Hessler said he put a notice on the door in May that Morgan should contact the shelter. As of Monday afternoon, he hasn't spoken with her.

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Beth Anne Heesen can be reached at 262-4754 or baheesen@publicopinionnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @baheesenPO.

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